


The Forbidden Fruit

by CatherineMorgenstern



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Mob, Banter, Canon-Typical Violence, Clubbing, F/M, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Invasion of Privacy, Lawyers, Multi, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:15:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24049543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatherineMorgenstern/pseuds/CatherineMorgenstern
Summary: [Mafia AU]The allure of the forbidden fruit promised the one thing everyone sought in a world saturated with conformity: excitement. Rumor had it Eden was the place where the city's underworld came to do business. An exclusive club where ordinary people might brush shoulders with the rich and infamous if they were lucky enough to be allowed inside. Owned by the Seed crime family, Eden was the place to be if you were young and beautiful in search of a little thrill to spice up your boring life. Trouble never seemed so sweet but one should be careful not to take too big a bite lest they discover the rotten core. They say seeing is believing.
Relationships: Female Deputy | Judge/Jacob Seed, Female Deputy | Judge/John Seed, Female Deputy | Judge/Joseph Seed
Comments: 13
Kudos: 39





	1. Eden.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Heeley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heeley/gifts).



> This fic was more wish-fulfilment for me than anything else but the occasion for its existence is Heeley's birthday who is one of my dearest friends and the most phenomenal beta a girl could ask for <3

* * *

You eyed the impossibly long queue in front of Eden, the city's most popular club, as you and your friends climbed out of the cab. You'd already indulged in some pre-drinks so all of you were a bit tipsy and very giggly, tottering unsteadily in your high heels when you hit the sidewalk. It was a Saturday night and it seemed as if everyone and their mother had decided to come out and try their hand at spending an evening amongst the rich and famous. Or rather: infamous. You'd never been here before but had heard enough gossip to know that it was notoriously difficult to get in since the clientele was… questionable, at best, which was the reason why people flocked to it, of course.

The main allure stemmed from the club's owners.

Though it was officially nothing more than a regular nightclub, everyone knew that the Seed crime family ran the show, using it as a façade for money laundering, drug trafficking, arms dealing, shady backroom deals and heaven knew what else. Or at least that was what the rumors wanted you to believe. It could have been just a clever marketing ploy that got blown out of proportion but you doubted it.

You'd been friends with John Seed since law school, he'd even briefly worked at the same firm as you before he'd quit to join the family business and although you'd never witnessed anything illegal (he'd been very careful to keep you away from his family, only meeting you at your place or at nondescript cafés except for a couple times when you'd visited him and he'd been quick to usher you out), your professional antennae were up. The Seeds had been investigated numerous times and though it was all over the news every time it happened, law enforcement had never been able to make any charges against them stick. No doubt thanks to John taking over his family's legal defence. You knew from experience just how good he was at his job. The media had dubbed him The Inquisitor because he was as skilled at cross-examination as he was at interrogation by torture. Allegedly.

Despite the fact that his family's dealings were illegal, you were determined to stay ignorant of what he was most likely really involved in. As long as you didn't have definitive proof, you could ignore your guilty conscience and stay his friend. It was selfish, you knew, and more than morally questionable, given your profession. One of the perks of that friendship, however, was being put on the guest list for your birthday. With an awkward smile at the people heading the queue, who were already throwing you dirty looks, you sauntered up to the bouncer.

"Evening, sir," you purred, ailing your most flirtatious smile at him that didn't seem to have any impact at all. "I'm on the guest list."

"Name?"

After telling him, you fought the urge to fidget while he checked. Your friends were chattering animatedly behind you, trying to engage you in conversation but all you could think about was how embarrassing it would be if John had forgotten and you'd have to slink to the end of the queue with your tail between your legs. For once, you'd like to enjoy being the cool one who knew a mafioso well enough to get your friends into such an exclusive club. Contrary to popular belief, being a lawyer wasn't all that glamorous.

With a grunt and a nod, the bouncer stepped aside to let you through and you breathed a sigh of relief as you herded your friends inside. After checking in your coats, all five of you climbed the stairs to the first level and were struck dumb at the sight.

In the middle of the room was the soaring replica of a tree. Its trunk was made of glittering silver with a golden snake coiling around it. Deep emerald leaves sprouted from branches that were draped in fairy lights which canopied the crowded dance floor that was grouped around its trunk while ruby-red apples dangled over the dancers' heads; eternally out of reach. The dance floor itself was elevated, made of giant, transparent squares lit up from below that switched between neon hues to the beat of the music. Strobe lights cut through the darkness, making the tree and the crowd's jewellery sparkle seductively. Two long bars took up opposite walls on either side of the dance floor; the counters' indirect warm lighting gave them a more subdued appearance in comparison even though the glass cabinets housing the liquor were lit from behind in a shocking neon green and the theme of snakes and apples repeated itself not only in decanters and glasses but also in poles on either side that were covered in lush evergreen and exotic, white flowers, each sporting another golden snake that wound its way around them.

It took a moment for your brain to digest everything you were seeing.

"Drinks?" you shouted over the music and grinned when your friends all nodded with slightly dazed expressions, resembling a row of bobble heads while they were still taking in the scene.

"I can't believe we're really here!" Fiona said as you made your way across the room. "It's even more over the top than I could have imagined."

You laughed. "Haven't you seen photos?"

"Yeah, but actually seeing it…. it seems even more unreal? If that makes sense?"

"I know what you mean."

And you did. There was a sort of dissonance between seeing something like this in pictures where it was still removed from your own reality and actually seeing it with your own two eyes. It had felt fictitious up to now.

The bar counter was made of mahogany but with a diamond pattern that reminded you of snakeskin. It was polished to a high sheen, positively gleaming and you wondered how on earth they kept it so clean with all these drunks around. You were hesitant to lean on it, half-expecting someone to yell at you for touching the décor as if you were in a museum. After ordering a round of tequila from the ridiculously hot bartender, you let your eyes wander around the room as you waited for the drinks. Everyone was decked out in their finest - and skimpiest - clothes, making you glad you'd treated yourself to a little birthday shopping trip that had resulted in the sequinned, silver dress you were wearing. It was fairly modest with a high neckline and long sleeves but hugged your curves just right and dipped low in the back; you couldn't wait to get on the dancefloor to see it catch the light like an eighties' disco ball.

"To an unforgettable night for our birthday girl," Debbie said after she'd handed everyone their shot.

"Cheers to that," you replied, lifting your glass in acknowledgement before throwing it back in one go. You shuddered as the liquid left a burning trail all the way down your throat.

"Alright, now we dance," Lou exclaimed, grabbing your hand as she all but dragged you to the other side of the room with the rest of your friends in tow.

It was very full but your group managed to find a bit of space at the side where you immediately fell into the rhythm, liquid courage and the presence of your friends giving you the confidence to not give a fuck about whether or not your dancing skills were up to par. As your eyes darted around the room, you noticed a mirror high up, covering an entire wall. It reflected the lights but since it wasn't angled down, you couldn't see the crowd in it. You couldn't have said how many songs went by before one of your favorites came on. You let out an ecstatic whoop and immediately sang along. As you shimmied to the well-known lyrics, you could see your dress sparkled in the light and it delighted you to no end. Raising your arms above your head, you ran your hands through your hair as you belted out the chorus, jumping in place to the beat. Before you knew, it had shifted into the next song.

You lost track of how long you'd been dancing when a pair of hands settled low on your hips as someone stepped closer, pressing themselves against your back. You stiffened imperceptibly when you caught the wide-eyed expressions on your friends' faces. Glancing down, you noticed familiar tattooed knuckles that painted a smile on your face. Just as you were about to look behind you, hot breath ghosted across the shell of your ear, making you shiver.

"Evening, darling."

You'd recognize that voice and those tats anywhere. Grinning, you spun around, not surprised in the least when you came face to face with John Seed.

"Johnny!" you squealed, throwing your arms around his neck in a bear hug.

"Happy Birthday," he murmured into your ear as he pulled you close. "Enjoying yourself?"

"So far, so good!" you said, leaning back to look at him. "Thanks for getting us in."

"No problem, my dear. Would you and your lovely friends care to join me in the VIP lounge?"

Lou and Kelly, who'd been dancing next to you, immediately yelled that they'd love to while you hesitated for just a second as all the rumors you'd ever heard about the Seeds in general and Eden in particular flitted through your mind.

John smirked, giving you a knowing look. "Come on, little goody-two-shoes, I promise I'll protect you."

Snorting, you shoved his shoulder. "I'm neither a goody-two-shoes nor scared."

"If you say so."

Motioning for you friends to tag along, you stuck close to John, who placed his hand at the small of your back, grazing your bare skin with his thumb, as he guided you to a lift that was guarded by two bulky security men. A tingly feeling licked up your spine when goosebumps erupted on your arms.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," you said, acting nonchalantly, as the doors closed before playfully narrowing your eyes at him. "Are you avoiding me?"

"I wasn't avoiding you--"

"Good--"

"-- per se. Just your incessant nagging."

"Ouch! You're hurting my feelings, Seed!"

John gave you a sharp grin, reminding you of a shark that had tasted blood. "I'm just being honest."

"You're being mean! On my birthday!"

"I know, poor baby" he said, throwing an arm around your shoulders to pull you against his side before pressing a kiss to your temple. "Forgive me?"

You turned towards him so that you could properly hug him. Regardless of what he may or may not be involved in, you'd genuinely missed the little shit. It didn't hurt that he felt all solid and warm against you and was wearing a subtle cologne that reminded you of salty ocean air.

"I don't know. What are you gonna do to make it up to me?"

"Drinks are on me?"

"Deal!"

"No negotiation? You're a terrible lawyer, darling."

"Hey, is that being nice?"

"I never said I'd be nice."

"Insufferable git," you mumbled fondly.

"I heard that."

"Good. I wanted you to hear that."

"That's how it's gonna be tonight?'

"I guess so," you chirped.

He gave a long-suffering sigh just as the doors slid open. "Maybe you'll find me more likeable after imbibing more alcohol."

"Can't hurt."

"You dressed up for the occasion, I see. Planning on playing the temptress tonight, my dear?" he asked, sliding his hand down the side of your dress from your rib cage down to the swell of your hip.

"If I remember correctly, Eve wore significantly less."

"That could be arranged."

"I don't doubt it."

Letting go of John, you stepped into a loft-like lounge, outfitted with its own well-stocked bar and warm, indirect lighting. You weren't sure what you had expected after the visual overload that was the main area but the first impression that came to mind here was sleek yet cozy. The walls seemed to be made of granite with little rivulets of water trickling down that added a soothing backdrop. Vertical slabs of thin wood were placed in even intervals in front of them, lit from below so that their honeyed tones stood out, warming up the color scheme. Low, comfy-looking couches in silver with a diamond pattern stood in front of wooden coffee tables that appeared to be made out of tree trunks, judging by the irregular shapes and visible growth rings. Bouquets of the same white flowers you'd noticed downstairs were arranged in delicate vases all throughout the room on the tables and behind the bar. The wall opposite you, however, was one giant window into the club below.

"Oooooh," you breathed, "it's a one-way mirror!"

John's hand settled on the small of your back once more, gently pressing you forward so your friends could exit the elevator before he steered you towards the bar. There were maybe fifty people in the room and you felt more than a few eyes on you the moment you'd stepped in: men in form-fitting, expensive-looking suits similar to John's three-piece and women either wearing business casual or rather revealing dresses that you were sure had cost more than your annual salary. At the far end, in one of the corners, stood a man you knew to be Jacob deep in conversation with a blonde who you thought must be Faith. He was hard to miss since he was all but towering over the rest in addition to his distinctive red hair. Though you'd never officially met any of John's siblings, you'd looked them up. They were the subject of numerous news articles and gossip columns so it hadn't been hard to find pictures of them.

"What would you like to drink?" John asked your group. Before you'd made a sound, John beat you to it. "Vodka and lime, I know." You snapped your mouth shut, peeved at his presumptuousness and pleased he'd remembered in equal measure. "Ladies?"

They rattled off their orders.

"This is so wild. How many criminals do you think are in this room with us right now?" Kelly whispered while John's back was turned.

You shushed her but to no avail.

"I bet that sleazy dude over there with the gaudy gold chain is a pimp--"

"Kelly," you growled warningly.

"And the Napoleon-wannabe is probably an arms dealer."

You huffed out a laugh. "Why would you assume that?"

"He's not much taller than a midget," she replied in a tone that implied you were being slow. "Gotta prove his manliness somehow."

"And that equals arms dealing?"

"Duh. Guns are toxic masculinity incarnate."

You shook your head at her in exasperation.

"Ginger over there is probably responsible for money laundering."

No, you thought, you'd bet that was John's métier. Out loud, you said, "That's Jacob. John's brother."

"No shit?" Sally breathed, snapping her head around to stare. "He's fine in a I-could-snap-your-neck-with-one-hand kinda way."

"Yeah, choke me, daddy," Fiona purred as you made retching noises.

"God, yeah. I bet he likes to--"

"Guys! Be cool!"

"We are cool!" Debbie exclaimed.

"Super cool," Lou chimed in.

"So cool, you'll mistake us for Shaft," Sally added.

Pinching the bridge of your nose, you hissed at them to be quiet when you saw John making his way back to you.

"Thank you," you murmured, accepting your drink.

"To the birthday girl, may you live to be a hundred so you can annoy me for many years to come!"

You stuck out your tongue at him when your friends laughed. For the next hour or so you made idle conversation while John flitted in and out of your group and you got progressively more drunk and thus less inhibited, drawing the attention of quite a few people who joined in the conversation every now and then. You felt as though you were getting away with something, considering what these men probably did for a living and it secretly thrilled you. It wasn't difficult to understand why Eden drew so many civilians; the prospect of rubbing shoulders with real life mafiosi just for a night was its own type of adrenaline high, especially since it seemed like a relatively tame thing to do in comparison to, say, bungee jumping or skydiving. People could have their one night of illicit fun and then return to their regular, boring lives without a glance backwards. Provided they didn't get in too deep, that is. You could see how this might become addictive and could spiral out of control.

Leaving your friends to it, you sidled over to the bar to get a refill. Seconds later, John hugged you from behind.

"Having fun?"

"Of course. It's not every day a girl gets to see the inside of Eden, let alone what goes on behind closed doors."

He laughed. "You think this is what goes on behind closed doors?"

Glancing at him over your shoulder, you raised an eyebrow before turning in his embrace. "Isn't it?"

The smirk he gave you was indulgent but there was a glint in his eyes - something much darker, something you couldn't or wouldn't put a name to - that made your mouth go a little dry. "You have no idea."

"Is that so?"

He hummed, still with that lazy yet hungry look.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I--"

"Rook!" Fiona yelled. "We're gonna dance for a bit, you coming?"

Your eyes darted back and forth between your friends and John; you'd love to join them since you'd come here for a girls' night out but you felt rooted to the spot under John's intense attention.

"I'll catch up in a second," you promised, causing John to smile in a self-satisfied sort of way that made your stomach flip.

"I didn't think I'd get you all to myself tonight."

"Must be your lucky day, Seed."

"Must be."

In the back of your mind, you registered that you were flirting much more than usual with John but all the alcohol coursing through your system made your normally rational mind all foggy. Whereas you had lost track of how many drinks you'd had, John seemed to still be nursing the whiskey he'd toasted you with earlier.

"You gotta work on catching up," you commented with a nod to his glass.

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on you and I can't do that if I'm just as inebriated as you, now can I, darling? I promised to protect you, after all."

"I bet you're a lightweight anyway, ain't'cha?"

Breaking your staring match with John, you glanced over his shoulder and aimed a bright smile at the newcomer.

"You must be Jake!" The look of disapproval he gave you in response to the nickname made you recoil as distant sirens started ringing in your head, screaming at you about how stupid it would be to piss him off, given his reputation. "--ob."

Though Jacob wasn't laughing outright at your last-minute save, you swore there was amusement lightening his intense eyes as John snorted next to you. Shifting uneasily, you recalled all the allegations you'd read about: kidnapping, arms dealing and, as absurd as it sounded, brainwashing. According to the various reports, there was nothing pertaining to the Seed Empire's security and personal safety that the former soldier wasn't responsible for.

"My brother tells me it's your birthday?"

You nodded. When he didn't follow up, you raised your eyebrows at him, waiting as he looked you up and down, clearly assessing you.

"Happy Birthday, honey."

Flushing at the pet name, you stuttered out your thanks and got even more flustered when Jacob smiled at you fully. You'd never seen a more unsettling smile: he showed way too many teeth which gave him a distinctly wolfish look that raised the hairs at the back of your neck. Instantly, the thought of that being the last thing someone saw before they died came to mind.

"You're making her nervous."

"Am I?"

"Just stop making murderface at me and I'll be fine," you quipped with a false show of bravado.

"Murderface?"

"Yup. It makes you look like the big, bad wolf."

"And that would make you little Red-Riding Hood?" he purred before licking his lips which kept your eyes glued to his mouth.

"I g-guess…"

"The wolf ate the little girl, didn't he?"

You gulped.

"Jacob..." John warned.

Intent on not letting him intimidate you, you put on your sweetest smile. "I trust John to play the huntsman and cut you open to save me if it comes to that."

"Trusting John was your first mistake."

"I'll take my chances based on prior performance, Jakey."

John grinned while his brother barked out a laugh that sounded so genuine it made you relax, only to wipe his expression clean in the next second, abruptly increasing your anxiety tenfold. "It's Jacob."

You cocked your head at him. "Don't be a killjoy, Jake."

Though you knew that baiting him was probably foolish, it was way too entertaining to stop. You never could resist tugging the tiger's tail.

"You like playing with fire, honey?"

"Occasionally."

"Well, you came to the right place."

"So I've been told."

"That what you're looking for? A little danger?"

"You offering?"

"Better be careful. Wouldn't wanna mess with the wrong people."

"I'd argue that the wrong people are exactly the kinda people who should be messed with."

"Is there any bite to your bark, pup?"

"Would you like to find out?"

"Oh, don't make promises you don't intend to keep."

"What makes you think I wouldn't follow through?"

"I know a tease when I see one--"

"You don't know shit--"

"-- but that's alright." Jacob smirked as he brought his hand up to his chin. "You'd have to be at least this tall to ride this ride anyway."

You let out an undignified squeak in protest, feeling your cheeks heat up at the fact that even in heels you didn't come close to reaching that height. "Good thing you're far from the only option available, Jakey."

"Okay," John intervened, "that's enough. Play nice."

"Is it a family tradition to aggravate a girl on her birthday?" you inquired archly, crossing your arms.

"Are my brothers ill-behaved?" an unfamiliar voice said from behind your shoulder, causing you to swivel around to look at the voice's owner. "If so, I apologize. They sometimes forget their manners."

Even if he hadn't led by calling John and Jacob his brothers, you would have recognized him instantly. Joseph Seed. The most infamous of them all. The newspapers called him The Father because everything the Seeds and their men were responsible for was done on his orders. There'd been a video circulating on YouTube that showed him gouging out the eyes of an investigative journalist with his bare hands. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe he was capable of such violence. He exuded such calm and - dare you say it - gentleness that belied the cruelty he was said to possess.

Holding out his hand for you to shake, he said, "I'm Joseph."

He smiled when you reciprocated as he covered your hand with both of his.

"What a beautiful name."

"Thanks," you replied before hesitantly adding, "My friends call me Rook, though."

You didn't know what had prompted you to offer that little tidbit to a man you'd never met before.

"You'd count me amongst your friends?"

You shrugged, shifting your weight. "You're John's family…"

His smile turned lopsided which shouldn't have looked as endearing as it did. Mafia boss, you reminded yourself. Don't be fooled by appearances. It was John's fault that you felt way too comfortable. Your friendship gave you a false sense of security. Would he go against his brothers should you piss them off for real, though? When it came down to choosing loyalties, you doubted it if you were completely honest with yourself.

He was still holding your hand when he asked, "Did I hear that it was your birthday today?" Nodding, you accepted a kiss on the cheek as he congratulated you. "That calls for champagne, I would say."

"I don't think I should mix and match anymore than I already have."

"C'mon, darling, live a little. Soon your youth will have passed you by."

You gaped at John. "You're two years older than me!"

"I know."

"Speaking from experience, are we?"

"Nah, everyone knows men get better with age. Women, however..."

"How dare you, Seed!" you cried, swatting at him but he caught your hand and trapped it against his chest. "Take that back right now!"

"Can't take back the truth, my dear."

"You're a jerk," you said with an exaggerated pout even though you could hardly stop yourself from grinning.

"Took you this long to figure that out? I thought lawyers were supposed to be smart," Jacob said as he brushed past you to get to the bar.

"Ill-behaved indeed, the both of them," you stage-whispered at Joseph. "However do you put up with them?"

"By appealing to their nobility."

You couldn't help but scoff in response and instantly covered your mouth as your eyes widened at the raised eyebrow Joseph was giving you. In your defense, though, all the newspaper headlines, allegations and gruesome rumors came to mind and despite knowing that the Seeds had never been convicted of anything, you'd been a lawyer long enough to know that a lack of compelling evidence didn't mean they weren't guilty. That was doubly true if the people in question had the means and connections to make the majority of the charges disappear overnight. 

"You don't believe in innocent until proven guilty, counselor?"

After a quick glance at John who was wearing the same sly expression you remembered all too well from law school, you chose to tread lightly.

"In theory, I absolutely do."

"Only in theory?"

"With the right tools and strategy, the truth can be manufactured. I've tried enough criminal cases to know that much."

"I'm well aware." Staring at him in surprise, you waited for him to elaborate. "I've been following your professional career ever since I learned of your friendship with my brother."

To say you were taken off guard would be the understatement of the century. It had never occurred to you that you might have been on the Seeds' radar, especially since John had been oh so careful to keep you from meeting his family members. The implications made you tense up. Why would someone like Joseph Seed pay attention to how you conducted yourself at your job?

"You have?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

He angled his head to give you a penetrating look over the rim of his yellow glasses that rooted you to the spot.

"Potential security risks."

"I insisted," Jacob chimed in, handing everyone a champagne flute before he came to stand behind you.

You felt caged in by the three brothers hovering around you and for the first time that night you wondered if you'd made a terrible mistake by entering their domain so willingly. Though it could be argued that the entire city was theirs to control so maybe nowhere was truly safe.

"Because I know John…?"

"Yes," Jacob said.

"That doesn't explain why you'd be interested in my career."

"Doesn't it?" Joseph asked.

"I haven't tried a big case--"

"Yet."

The unspoken implications made you light-headed. If you read between the lines correctly, Joseph was alluding to putting you on their payroll. For what? To manipulate cases in their favor should you ever be on a position to do so? That hypothetical left a bad taste in your mouth and the prospect of having to outright decline such an arrangement made you nervous; there was no telling what the repercussions of spurning the Seeds might be. You were surprised that John hadn't told his brother to keep you out of their dealings altogether.

Unless…

Turning to John, you blurted, "Are you in trouble?"

Were they preparing for the eventuality of needing to be represented by someone that wasn't John because John would be the defendant?

"Does the thought upset you?"

Though you knew it was a little ridiculous since he was more than capable of taking care of himself, you couldn't smother your protective instinct when it came to him. You knew that even if he was guilty of unspeakable crimes, you'd stick up for him to the best of your abilities because you were certain he'd do the same for you without hesitation.

"John?" Your voice was sharp as you demanded to know what was going on.

"Of course not."

After searching his eyes for honesty, you relaxed. "Glad to hear it."

"Glad to know you care."

"I'll know the apocalypse is imminent should you ever fail at talking yourself out of a tight spot."

Preening, he purred, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Is that why you agreed to put me on the guest list? So Joseph could talk shop with me?"

"Would you be willing to let me talk shop with you?" Joseph interjected.

Weighing your words, you said, "That depends entirely on your objective. But I'd rather not get involved at all."

Joseph stared intently at you as silence consumed the space between you. Lifting your chin despite the palpable tension and your inability to read the Father, you stubbornly maintained eye contact. Having Jacob lurking at your back only increased your unease.

"You'd choose willful ignorance?"

"Yes."

"Unless John needs your help?"

"Yes."

Nervous energy was exuding from John to such a degree that it seemed to rub off on you, making you jittery. It didn't help that Joseph seemed to stare right into your soul, dissecting your innermost thoughts piece by piece.

Finally, he nodded. "Loyalty is invaluable." John breathed a sigh of relief and you felt your knees go wobbly as the tension bled out of you. "I am grateful my brother has such good friends."

Uncomfortable with the grave atmosphere and flustered by the soft look John was sporting, you quipped, "Well, if I ever need to hide a body, Johnny will be the first person I'll call and I expect him to help me at once so… fair's fair, I guess."

"Scout's honor--"

"You haven't been a boy scout a day in your life--"

"--but you'd probably be better off calling Jacob."

"Would you help me hide a body, Jakey?" you asked sweetly, smirking at the amused huff Joseph let out in response to the nickname.

"For a price."

"Yeah? What's your rate?"

"A favor for a favor."

That sounded ominous after the topic you'd just danced around. You had the uncanny feeling that you were teetering on the edge of a precipice where the smallest misstep could spell permanent disaster.

Picking up on your wariness, John said, "That's quite enough morbidity for tonight, I think. Let's have some fun, darling."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually use British English but chose American English for this because Far Cry is set in America so if you notice any spelling mistakes or word choices that don't fit, let me know.
> 
> I couldn't find anything resembling the interior design of the main room/dance floor so I just let my imagination run wild. The lounge, however, was heavily inspired by [this picture](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/5a/e3/c0/5ae3c041e81ff4f36e4d947f2a2dfeb2.jpg).


	2. Curiosity Killed The Cat

You weren't sure what pulled you from oblivion but when you came to, you were lying on your belly, limbs askew like a stranded starfish with your face squished against a pillow. Opening one eye, you immediately screwed it shut again, groaning at the bright light. Slowly, you became aware of your dry, foul-tasting mouth, your rolling stomach and the pounding in your temples.

"Turn it off," you mumbled, complaining to yourself as you turned your face into the pillow in a futile effort to go back to sleep.

"You can't turn off the sun, darling."

Startled, you let out a deafening shriek as your heart jumped into your throat and you scrambled away from the voice in a blind panic, falling off the bed in the process. While you were wrestling with the bed linens that had wound themselves around you like snakes, a mop of messy, dark hair appeared at the edge of the mattress.

"You okay down there?"

Squinting from the bright sunlight streaming in from the high windows after being so rudely pulled into full consciousness, you stared accusingly at a sleep-rumpled John.

"You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Seconds later, the door was thrown open and a quick glance showed you a fully dressed Jacob who'd drawn his gun as he scanned the room with furrowed brows.

"Why are you on the floor?"

"Kill me now, please."

"Are you encouraging us to commit a capital crime?" John asked, amusement dripping from every word.

"It would be a mercy killing at this point," you said as you curled up in a fetal position on the floor, hiding your face in your arms.

"Euthanasia is illegal, honey."

"I'm giving you permission."

The men's chuckles at your dramatics made you want to punch them and kick them out to be left alone so you could catch some more sleep. Except you couldn't kick them out because you weren't home.

Lifting your head a little too fast, you grimaced when your stomach rebelled. "How the fuck did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" asked John.

Combing through your fuzzy memories of the night before, you remembered drinking champagne before joining your friends on the dance floor with John in tow but after that…

"Things are a bit blurry," you admitted.

The only thing you were thankful for was the fact that you were still wearing your underwear. Should you ever throw caution to the wind and spend the night in John's bed in a non-platonic way, you'd make damn sure you'd be able to recall every detail afterwards because you had a feeling that it would be a night to remember.

"You had a little too much fun," John said as Jacob holstered his gun and bent down to scoop you up despite your squeak of protest before letting you drop in an undignified heap next to John.

"I think I'm gonna throw up," you muttered, clutching your stomach.

"No. No, you're not."

You scowled at Jacob. "You can't order me not to. That's not how it works!"

"Tough luck."

Looking at John, you asked, "Why is he here?"

"To annoy you into sobriety?"

The smirk he gave you earned him an unimpressed glare. "It's too early for your misplaced comedic witticisms."

"It's noon," Jacob said.

"So?"

"It's not early."

"Yes, it is."

"I've been up since six."

"Well, then you're clearly nuts."

"Are you always this argumentative after waking up?"

"I am when I'm hungover and find myself in a bed that isn't mine."

"Happen often?"

"Make him leave," you whined, looking at John beseechingly.

"It's his home, too."

"But not his floor, let alone his bedroom! Or if it is, I don't wanna know the details."

Jacob snorted.

"Everything alright in here?"

You groaned when Joseph appeared in the doorway. "Just what I needed, more people seeing me like this."

"I brought breakfast."

"I only need buttered toast." Even you could tell how petulant you sounded. "And a few gallons of coffee."

"That can be arranged. You'll feel better after eating something," he coaxed.

"And hydrating," Jacob added, nodding at the water bottle on the nightstand.

"And a shower," John said.

"Meet us downstairs when you're ready," Joseph said with an air of finality.

"You're all very bossy. I don't like it."

* * *

With your hair and body wrapped in fluffy towels, you exited the steamy bathroom to discover that John had left a change of clothes for you on the made-up bed. Smiling at his thoughtfulness, you laughed softly when you had to roll up the waistband multiple times. You looked like a mess in his too-big clothes but anything was better than having to put last night's dress back on after you'd just showered.

Once you were decent, you scanned the room for your purse. You couldn't recall when your friends had left last night and were sure that they'd probably blown up your phone by now, waiting for a sign of life but you didn't see it anywhere. As you turned to leave, you noticed John's phone light up where it was charging on his nightstand.

Overcome with an intense case of curiosity, you found yourself staring at it as you tried to resist your instinct to snoop. Despite having been friends for years, you knew next to nothing about his immediate family or any of his friends outside of law school which was why you were oh so tempted to find out more about him. After a quick glance to make sure that the door was closed, you listened for voices or footsteps before tiptoeing towards John's side of the bed.

Biting your lip, you pressed the on/off button to find out that an incoming text message from an unknown number had been the cause.

The preview only showed one word: _Done._

Immediately, your imagination ran wild, aided by what you knew the Seeds were most likely involved in. It sounded remarkably like this person had completed a task or something and the intrigue of it all was already eating you alive. This desire to get to the bottom of something once you've tasted blood was what made you such a good lawyer. 

You needed to know if there was more to it.

The phone required a passcode, of course. You knew that iPhones allowed six tries before they'd lock you out so you had some room to play.

What passcode would John choose?

You were certain he wasn't stupid enough to choose his birthday but you gave it a try anyway, followed by his birth year. Since you didn't know his brothers' and sister's birthdays, you entered the day you'd both graduated from law school before trying the date he'd been admitted to the state's bar. None of these had granted you access.

Wracking your brain, you tried to remember if there'd been anything of importance to John that he could have used instead. There'd been one proverb from the Bible he'd liked to doodle in class and you remembered its numbers because John liked to use them in lieu of a proper answer when the occasion called for it. Though it was a long shot, you tried 2813 and almost let out a scream of success when it unlocked his phone. Shaking your head at how extra John was with everything he did, you opened his messages.

And were shocked into speechlessness.

It contained a picture.

Staring at it in disbelief, your mouth went dry. Your heart began to pound as your hands started to shake while your brain attempted to rationalize what you were looking at. It almost felt as if a fog had encased your mind, making you feel sluggish and removed from reality.

There was a person in the picture.

They were tied to a chair. You couldn't see their face because they were slumped over in their restraints, looking for all intents and purposes like a puppet whose strings had been severed. They were so horribly mutilated that you could only tell it was a man because of his naked chest which was caked in blood due to innumerable cuts that criss-crossed each other. Some seemed to be deeper than others, judging by the amount of what looked like fresh blood dripping from them.

You were rooted to the spot, unable to tear your eyes away despite desperately wanting to.

One of his hands was missing several fingers and though it was hard to make out, you thought that there might be teeth lying in front of the chair.

You tasted bile at the back of your throat as you became aware of cold sweat beading on your upper lip.

Due to your blood rushing through your ears, you felt as if your head had been stuffed with cotton. In the distance there was a noise you couldn't place. It took a while to identify that what you were hearing were approaching footsteps but once it registered, you panicked, fumbling with the phone to exit the app and lock it.

The door creaked open.

"Rook?"

* * *

The End. Maybe.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware that if you access a message, it won't show up as new any longer and wouldn't stay visible on the lockscreen afterwards, alerting you to the fact that someone must have snooped through your phone. That is not a continuity error ;)
> 
> John's passcode comes from [Proverbs 28:13 (Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy)](https://dailyverses.net/confession)


End file.
